Ashley Merryman Biography

Ashley Merryman's insights change the world's dialogue. Co-author of two New York Timesbestsellers NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children and Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing – Merryman has had enormous critical and commercial acclaim. Email and social media are filled with demands to read her work: her New York Timesessay, "Losing is Good for You," was shared on Facebook 40,000 times within the first 24-hours of publication.

Merryman's genius is that she finds the best science to explain our world, and, having done so, she transforms our lives. With Po Bronson, it was Merryman who introduced the world to Carol Dweck and her now famous concept of growth mindset. Then Merryman brought the science of creativity to the public's attention. And now it's a stunningly new perspective on what it takes to become the world's best.

Merryman's taught Olympians how to better perform under pressure; she's advised executives on building a winning culture. From keynotes to conference rooms, Merryman has appeared at 180 venues – global leaders such as: Staples; Fox; State Street Global Advisors; YPO; FTI; Aspen Institute; SXSW; PopTech; Wired Business Conference; Red Bull; English Institute of Sport; IMG Academy; National Head Start Assoc.; Gates Foundation; Georgetown; USC; and Yale.

Her newest book, Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing, written with Bronson, was an instant New York Times bestseller, and foreign language editions are underway. Among the critical raves – it was a "Best Book of the Month" by both Barnes & Noble and Amazon, on many "Best of the Year" lists, and Salary.com said it was the #1 book every entrepreneur must read.

And Merryman and Bronson's previous book, NurtureShock, has become one of the most influential books about children ever published: on the New York Times bestseller list for more than six months and an Amazon Top Nonfiction 100 book for over a year, it has been translated in 19 languages to date.

In addition to cover stories for Newsweek and New York, Merryman has written for New York Times Magazine,Time,Washington Post, the Guardian, Huffington Post, the Daily Beast, and many others. Her media appearances include: Charlie Rose; Tavis Smiley; Fox and Friends; @KatieCouric; John Stossel; CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 and CNN Newsroom; HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel; Canada AM; BBC'sWorld News and Sports Hour; and NPR's On Point. She once delighted "Mr. Wonderful" Kevin O'Leary with an on-air explanation of how science could predict his entrepreneurial success; Stephen Colbert devoted an entire segment of The Colbert Report to her take on kids and competition. Her mastery of psychology, neuroscience, and more, is so authoritative her work's been cited in 130 academic journals and 417 books to date. And Merryman's won nine awards for her work, including: PEN Center USA Literary Award; AAAS Award for Science Journalism; an “Audie”; and two Clarions.

Merryman has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the USC School of Cinematic Arts and a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University. An attorney, Merryman previously served as a speechwriter and in other positions in the Clinton Administration. She lives in Los Angeles, directing a small all-volunteer tutoring program for inner-city kids since 1999.

As a renowned expert and highly sought-after speaker, Ashley Merryman's expertise is in high demand. To book Ashley Merryman for your next event, conference, or workshop, please contact our speaker booking agency. Our experienced team will work closely with you to understand your specific needs and help secure Ashley Merryman's participation. With our professional guidance and seamless booking process, you can ensure a memorable and impactful experience for your audience. Don't miss the opportunity to engage your audience with Ashley Merryman's compelling insights and inspire positive change within your organization. Fill out the booking request form to take the first step in securing Ashley Merryman for your next speaking engagement.